John D and Catherine T Macarthur
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, with additional locations in India and Nigeria. Incorporated in 1970 and granted charitable status in February 1971, the foundation was founded by John D. MacArthur, a midwestern businessman and real estate magnate who built his fortune primarily through ownership and development of Bankers Life and Casualty Co. of Chicago. The foundation operates as an independent 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a private grantmaking foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3B
+7.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$356.1M
+11.0% YoY
Grant Count
1,086
-25.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$328K
+49.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. It supports creative people and effective institutions working toward transformative change on pressing social issues.
Primary focus areas include:
- Climate change and environmental conservation
- Criminal justice reform
- Revitalizing local news in the United States
- Artificial intelligence governance and expanding who creates, uses, and benefits from AI
- Strengthening the well-being of Native communities
- Empowering young people in Nigeria
- Journalism and its role in a responsible and responsive democracy
- Strengthening the vitality of Chicago
- Human rights and global security
- Making cities better places
- Understanding technology's impact on children and society
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants across multiple program areas:
Grant Range
$75,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds primarily in Illinois, New York, and the District of Columbia, with international work in India and Nigeria.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $9,311,570,852
- Total Revenue: $890,851,721
- Total Expenses: $414,659,854
- Total Liabilities: $661,000,000
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $8,672,283,398 (ledger value)
- Total Income: $5,198,007,273
The foundation is ranked 92nd among U.S. foundations by assets.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,311,570,852 | $8,672,283,398 | $8,229,029,493 |
| Revenue | $890,851,721 | $613,786,298 | $-1,307,634 |
| Expenses | $414,659,854 | $415,250,452 | $260,263,897 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $468,169,033 | $417,507,266 | $390,078,271 |
| Net Investment Income | $791,986,861 | $591,188,118 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $428,654,370 | $418,691,836 | $449,318,207 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from John D and Catherine T Macarthur
Chicago Commitment: Advancing Leadership Grant
JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Chicago Commitment: Civic Partnerships Grant
JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Chicago Commitment: Culture, Equity, and the Arts Grant
JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR
Amount
US $55,000 - US $80,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board leadership includes:
- Martha Minow (Director / Board Chair)
- Stephanie K. Bell-Rose (Director)
- Lillian Constance Jen (Director)
- Julie T. Katzman (Director)
- Paul Klingenstein (Director)
- James Manyika (Director)
- Sendhil Mullainathan (Director)
- Cecilia Munoz (Director)
- Olufunmilayo Olopade (Director)
- Juan Salgado (Director)
The foundation employs 201 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN G PALFREY | DIRECTOR / PRESIDENT | 50 | $1,113,955 |
| KENNETH M JONES II | SENIOR VP / CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 50 | $697,637 |
| JOSHUA J MINTZ | VP / GENERAL COUNSEL / SECRETARY | 50 | $715,572 |
| SUSAN E MANSKE | VP / CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | 50 | $2,512,127 |
| MARTHA L MINOW | BOARD CHAIR | 7 | $44,875 |
| STEPHANIE K BELL-ROSE | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $26,000 |
| AMY FALLS AS OF 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $14,000 |
| LILLIAN CONSTANCE JEN | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $27,000 |
| JULIE T KATZMAN THRU 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $14,000 |
| PAUL KLINGENSTEIN | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $27,500 |
| WILLIAM F LEE AS OF 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $14,000 |
| JAMES MANYIKA THRU 0324 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $10,000 |
| SENDHIL MULLAINATHAN | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $26,500 |
| CECILIA MUNOZ | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $27,000 |
| ALONDRA NELSON AS OF 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $9,000 |
| OLUFUNMILAYO I OLOPADE | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $26,000 |
| JUAN SALGADO | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $28,000 |
| DR RUTH J SIMMONS | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $25,500 |
| JAMES CASSELBERRY | ARC BOARD TRUSTEE | 1 | $10,000 |
| TRINITA LOGUE | ARC BOARD TRUSTEE | 1 | $10,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced several recent initiatives and grants:
Awarded $10 million to strengthen the humanities
MacArthur Awards $10 Million to Strengthen the HumanitiesSelected 22 artists, scientists, and authors for MacArthur Fellowship grants at $800,000 each
22 artists, scientists and authors selected for $800,000 MacArthur ...Awarded $1.75 million to support global reporting initiatives
PRI Receives $1.75 Million Dollar Grant from the John D. and Catherine T.Announced a $2 million new digital media and learning competition
MacArthur Announces $2 Million New Digital Media and Learning CompetitionReflected on 2025 work in Chicago, supporting community resilience and courage
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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